Blind
by The Devil's Girlfriend
Summary: A new generation sweeps the Clans as seasons pass. All those who made the journey have joined StarClan many seasons ago, and if any of the others remain, they are close to death themselves. ThunderClan warrior Thunderrose is one of the new generation. When she is struck by a falling tree branch, she undergoes a change more drastic than she had ever wanted. 'T' to be safe. All OC's.
1. Heroism

Clouds weighed heavily in the sky, casting one continuous shadow over the forest below. Thunder rumbled through the trees, and a stiff wind pushed through the thick summer underbrush. A swath of bracken shook still as the wind died momentarily, and the gleam of eyes flashed through the green leaves. A mouse scurried through the dust, searching for food at the roots of a huge oak. The bracken stilled, though the flash of eyes remained. Without warning, a sleek gray-and-white blur threw itself from its hiding place in the bush, landing on the mouse. Killing the creature with a cruelly precise blow to the head, the cat leaned down and scooped the fresh-kill up between powerful jaws. Sturdy muscles rippled beneath soft, gray-white mottled fur as she turned her head to face the sky. The she-cat was rather small in size, and consequently was made to crane her neck to see over a nearby bramble patch to survey the approaching storm. Huffing impatiently, she dropped her mouse at her feet, tail-tip twitching irritably. She turned all the way around and faced the bracken from which she'd emerged, jaws slightly agape to test the air.

"Tornadopaw!" The she-cat's musical voice cut the humid air like ice chips, hanging almost tangibly before her in the heat. A small, broad-faced tom with fur the color of dust peeked out through the branches. Deciding that her displeasure was not directed at him, he stepped gingerly from the underbrush, his hazel eyes timidly puzzled. He, too, was small in stature, but he made up for it in muscle. His shoulders were unusually broad, as was his face, and even breathing caused his muscles to flex beneath his pelt. His size suggested that he was young, but this was not the case. In fact, he was approaching his sixteenth moon, and the she-cat was reminded once again to approach their leader, Phantomstar, about his warrior ceremony.

"Yes, Thunderrose?" he asked. His voice was deep and had the consistency of gravel, grating from his throat and cutting at her ears. Thunderrose winced internally; while she had been his mentor for ten moons, she had never quite grown accustomed to his unique voice.

"This storm is moving in faster than I'd thought. Collect this mouse and I'll go back and get the rest of our catch; I'll meet you back at camp." Tornadopaw nodded and brushed past her, wide paws kicking up dust in little clouds. Thunderrose brushed her tail briefly against his ear as she trotted back the way they'd come. The air felt sticky against her fur and she shook it impatiently as if to expel water. Following the scent trail they'd left on their hunt, she eventually made it to a young pine tree, where the pair had buried the rest of their catch. Scraping the dust away from it, she scooped up the prey- a thrush and two voles, all fat with the plentiful greenleaf offerings- and pricked her ears up as another rumble of thunder vibrated through her nerves. She secured her jaw around the fresh-kill and set off at a brisk trot in the direction of the BriarClan camp. Lightning clawed through the sky, causing her pelt to stand on end, and the brilliant flash illuminated the dark trees around her. A violent crash of thunder followed closely, and Thunderrose jumped, eyes wide. She quickened her pace until she was sprinting through the forest, ears flat against her head. Finally, the bramble wall came into view, and a sigh of relief managed to bubble from her straining lungs. Fat raindrops pattered around her with increasing speed as she threw herself into the tunnel. The camp was clearing fast as her Clanmates sought shelter from the storm. Thunderrose threw her prey on the pile and trotted over to the warriors' den, eyes slit against the wind. She sat just inside the entrance, eyes fixated on the tunnel as she watched for her apprentice's return. Now that she was safe, she felt a stab of concern for the tomcat. A chill rippled down her spine from her wet fur and she bent her head to lap away the water in an attempt to warm up.

Her head snapped upright again a little later as a screech split the air outside. A loud, echoing groan followed, and dread seized her belly as she watched a large oak lean heavily and begin to fall. Leaping to her paws, she tore from the den and instantly spotted her apprentice in the path of the falling tree. Throwing herself forward, she sank shrieked out to him. His head whipped toward her as the oak's shadow grew longer as it accelerated toward the earth. She sank her teeth into his scruff and yanked him out of the way moments before it hit. The impact shook her paws and she stumbled sideways as branches from the surrounding trees that had been ripped off by the fallen oak rained down around her. Tornadopaw yowled something to her, but his words were lost to Thunderrose's ears as a branch struck her across the back of the head, sending a blinding flash of pain through her skull. Light seared her eyes as she staggered forward and went sprawling in the mud. She vaguely noted Tornadopaw's presence in front of her eyes as her vision began to blur and fade. His loud, terrified voice paled into the background, and an aching silence closed in on her ears as the world went black.

Thunderrose was dragged into consciousness by a dull ache in the back of her head. Groaning, she opened her eyes, and immediately regretted the decision. Even the faint light from the medicine den burned her eyes and increased the pain in her head until it was sharp and stabbing. She groaned again and closed her eyes, but the pain did not diminish as she'd hoped. Without warning, a cold, wet feeling assaulted the back of her head. Thunderrose's eyes flew open with surprise, but she didn't cry out as she normally would have. Instead, she found herself sighing with relief as the chilly dampness soothed the ragged, throbbing pain in the back of her skull. She tried to turn her head around to see who was behind her, but a paw came to rest on her shoulder, warning her wordlessly to keep still.

"You took quite a beating, Thunderrose. If you move, the pain will get much worse. Your best bet is to stay still." The creaking voice of the elderly ThunderClan medicine cat, Junipersun, felt like sandpaper to her ears, which were made more sensitive to noise than before by the pain. She winced noticeably and he pressed more wet moss to the back of her head.

"Can you see alright?" he asked her in that edgy voice of his. Thunderrose steeled herself and peeled her eyes open. The dim light assaulted her head as if she was staring into the sun, and she hissed at the pain. A few moments passed, and she found that her vision was rather clear, despite the hurt it caused her.

"Yes. The light hurts, though…" She griped. Though she meant for it to sound tough, the dryness of her mouth made it sound weak and papery-thin. She winced internally at the sound of it, and thought longingly of the water oozing through her fur. Junipersun padded around and pressed a wad of soaked moss to her lips. She opened her stiff jaw and lapped at it gratefully, looking up at him to convey her thanks. His gold pelt was unkempt and thin, and his muzzle was graying, but he was still just as good a medicine cat as ever. His apprentice, Eveningpaw, couldn't have asked for a better mentor. He was sweet and funny, with a firm edge and a keen knowledge of his work. When her thirst was sufficiently quenched, Thunderrose twitched an ear, and he stepped away, padding into his store with the awkward gait of old age. She noted this mentally, wondering suddenly if he soon planned to retire. After all, it was only a matter of time before age caught up to him, and he would be forced to step down. A low rumble drew her attention away from the elderly tom and toward her stomach. She hadn't eaten since the morning before the accident, however long ago that was. She made to call out for him, but the tomcat was already padding back to her, a vole in his teeth. She purred appreciatively as he set the food in front of her, and she decided to test his remark about movement making the pain worse. Gingerly, she lifted her head from the moss. The pain caused her to grit her teeth for a moment, but it relaxed its hold after a little bit. She soon found that, if she moved slowly, the pain was tolerable. Junipersun's amber eyes lit up like the sun with pride as she bravely bent her head down and snagged a bite of the fresh-kill, chewing slowly as her jaw muscles loosened. She could feel where the branch had hit her; the pain settled there and stretched with her neck, never really waning. She ignored it, however, wishing to finish her meal before asking any questions. When she'd finished her repast, she settled back, resting her head on the moss again.

"How long have I been laying here?" she asked, looking up at him with her stormy blue eyes. Junipersun thought for a moment, apparently counting the days since the accident.

"Only two days. I must say, I'm surprised you awoke as soon as you did; you took quite a blow to the head. You're very lucky your skull didn't crack." Thunderrose closed her eyes for a moment, recalling the event. Her eyes flew open a moment later as she remembered the panic-stricken face of Tornadopaw.

"What about Tornadopaw?" she asked, a note of worry in her voice. Junipersun rested his tail on her shoulder, and for a moment she was unsure whether it was to reassure her or to comfort her.

"He's perfectly fine. He dragged you out from under that branch after it hit you. Phantomstar is going to make him a warrior as soon as you're well enough to attend the ceremony." Thunderrose sighed in relief, relaxing immediately. It was good to know that she didn't take a limb to the head in vain. Her tail twitched in surprise when the elderly tom nudged a pile of herbs over to her with one paw. She craned her neck forward, ignoring the stabs of pain, and sniffed them tentatively. Junipersun chuffed with amusement at her hesitancy.

"Just a poultice for the pain. If you're going to be awake, I figured you'd want some sort of relief." He looked at her with rheumy green eyes, kindness sparkling under the hazy cataracts. She nodded slightly and lapped up the leaves, nearly gagging on the bitter taste. When she'd managed to force them down, Junipersun flicked her ear gently with his tail tip before turning to leave.

"I'm going to go clean up the stores and look for my apprentice. If you need anything else, just call." With that, the aged tomcat padded stiffly away. Thunderrose pricked her ears up and called his name. He paused and looked over his shoulder with a questioning gaze.

"Could you ask Tornadopaw to come here?" she inquired, wishing to thank him properly. The old medicine cat nodded and continued on his way, calling out Eveningpaw's name with his rasping mew. Thunderrose heard their hushed conversation, and then watched as the slender tortoiseshell apprentice bounded from the store with all the energy of youth. Eveningpaw called out a greeting as she bounced by, her springy tone a welcome respite from her mentor's grating meow. Thunderrose merely flicked her ears as she settled back into her thick mossy nest. Her eyes stared at the stone ceiling, studying the notches and scrapes worn into the rock through time. Her reverie was broken by a deep, gravelly mew very familiar to her. She lifted her head slowly, looking upon Tornadopaw with more kindness than she'd ever shown an apprentice as he approached her. He sat down beside her nest, hesitantly giving her ear a lick.

"I'm glad you're okay," he meowed somewhat awkwardly. She purred and the sound relaxed him a bit. Her eyes sparkled with laughter, a look she'd never given him before. He looked utterly baffled.

"As am I. Next time, though, try not to get in the path of a falling tree," she purred in response, her good humor lighting a smile in his eyes like a spark to dry grass. He huffed with amused embarrassment and shuffled his paws, unsure how to act with this lighthearted she-cat in front of him. She noticed this and flicked him lightly with her tail.

"Come now, Tornadopaw. I owe you a proper thanks for saving me before that tree branch could crush me completely. Besides, you're almost a warrior; don't you think it's time that I treat you less like a student and more like an equal?" Thunderrose meowed good-naturedly. Tornadopaw considered this, and then nodded, his eyes bright.

"You don't have to thank me, though. Any cat would've done the same, I'm sure," he mewed modestly in that gravelly voice of his. It still irritated her ears, but she found herself ignoring this fact as she poked him in the side with her tail.

"And I would have thanked them as well. It just so happens that it's you who saved me," she replied. He shrugged, still humble. This peeved her slightly. Couldn't he just accept her thanks and move on?

"You saved me first." He pointed out, trying to deflect the heroism from himself to her. She scoffed, her old self shining through.

"So we're even. Come on, Tornadopaw. Haven't you ever been thanked before?" she asked somewhat exasperatedly. He shook his head, a little self-conscious.

"No one's ever had reason to. I'm a bit of a coward, you know." And she did know. During their fighting practices, he was on the timid side, not quite sure how to face her. She'd tried to wear it out of him by pushing him hard, but he never really came out of his shell until a few days ago. That was the first time she'd seen him react somewhat impulsively.

"You certainly weren't a coward when you saved me. I'm thanking you and that's final. Just accept it, okay?" She was growing tired of his excessive modesty. He flinched slightly, and then nodded.

"Is there anything you need?" he asked, purposefully changing the subject.

"What I need is to get up and move around…" she began before Junipersun suddenly cut her off. The tom had appeared from nowhere, walking awkwardly across the cave to where the two cats were conversing.

"Absolutely not! You might be awake, but you're by no means healed." His firm side was showing now, seeming even harsher when compared to Tornadopaw's timid diffidence. She affected a sigh of frustration, when internally she was grateful for his insistence.

"In that case, just bring me some water," she mewed shortly. Junipersun pulled some moss from her nest and padded stiffly to a dip in the rock, where a natural pool was formed. He soaked the moss with water and brought it dripping back to her, laying it at her paws. Giving him a pointed glance, she lapped at the water while Tornadopaw sat uneasily nearby.

"What time of day is it?" she asked, pausing in her lapping. The brown apprentice thought for a second.

"Near twilight." His reply was tainted with a bit of guilt. She could sense it in the set of his shoulders and the way he shuffled his paws.

"You're on patrol, aren't you?" she asked him. Her tone was not accusatory; it was hardly even a question, more of a statement of fact. He nodded sheepishly, almost regretfully.

"Then why are you sitting around here? I've got Junipersun for company." The medicine cat nodded, a glint of humor in his eyes.

"I may be old, but I can still hold a conversation," he added, glancing sideways at her. She twitched her ear in thanks- an action noticed only by the elderly tom- and flicked her tail at Tornadopaw.

"Go and do patrol before Jadefeather claws your ears." Tornadopaw flinched at the thought, lurched to his paws, and called a farewell as he trotted from the den. Both remaining cats sighed in relief before glancing amusedly at one another.

"I don't know why you invited him back here, Thunderrose," Junipersun mewed, shaking his head. Thunderrose snorted, flicking her ears.

"I was hoping his act of heroism would shock a little backbone into him; apparently, I was wrong," she replied, lapping a few more times at the soaked moss. Junipersun settled back onto his haunches and her ears picked up the faint sound of his joints cracking as they supported his weight. They settled into some good-natured conversation about whatever. She'd always been comfortable around him, as he was her uncle. She'd spent a lot of time in the medicine den as a kit, and even considered becoming his apprentice for awhile, but the thrill of the hunt and the adrenaline rush that came with a good fight appealed to her too much. When it came down to it, she couldn't really imagine herself stuck inside sorting piles of plants. She lost track of time and was startled when Eveningpaw trotted back into the den. She carried a few pieces of fresh-kill in her jaws, and she purred gratefully as she placed one in front of her. Junipersun ate his surprisingly quickly before stretching luxuriously. Again, her ears were met with the faint cracking of old joints as he rose to his paws.

"I'm off to bed. Would you like some poppy seeds to help you sleep, Thunderrose?" he asked, yawning hugely. Thunderrose shook her head.

"No, I think I'll be okay." She gave him a friendly look. Eveningpaw's ears pricked up.

"Besides, if she needs anything, I'll get it for her. You go to sleep, Junipersun. The half-moon is in a few days, remember?" The elderly medicine cat looked at Eveningpaw in surprise; obviously, the medicine cat meeting had escaped his memory. He merely shrugged, however, and bade the two she-cats good night before padding off into the dark, deeper part of the cave. Eveningpaw sat down and wrapped her bushy orange tail around her tiny white paws, blue eyes glittering with energy as usual.

"Did it hurt when the branch hit you?" she asked. Thunderrose bristled slightly at the ignorance of the question; however, she composed herself after a second and gave the young apprentice a cool, measured look.

"It hurt a lot, actually." Her response was clipped, but if Eveningpaw noticed her open harshness, she took no notice. The fluffy ginger she-cat shifted restlessly, and Thunderrose felt a brief flash of affection for her spry vivacity, and wished, not for the first time, that Eveningpaw was her apprentice and not Tornadopaw. Her liveliness was a polar opposite to his quiet, nervous behavior. The tom was much more suited to a life of plants and healing than hunting and fighting for the Clan. Unfortunately, he was also extremely good at fighting, and even better at hunting, and so he remained a warrior's apprentice. She recalled with a certain degree of relief that his naming ceremony would be held soon enough, and prayed to StarClan that she would heal quickly. She managed to strike up a brief conversation with the bouncy apprentice, but the injured cat eventually conceded that rest was in order.

"I think I'll take those poppy seeds, Eveningpaw," she mewed. Eveningpaw nodded and trotted back into the store to fetch the seeds. Thunderrose stretched luxuriously, feeling the twinging in the back of her skull growing stronger as she did so. Thankfully, Eveningpaw returned with the poppy seeds a few moments later, and the injured she-cat leaned over to lap them off the leaf.

"If you need anything, just call, okay? I'm off to bed as well, but I'm a light sleeper. Those poppy seeds should get you through the night, though," the apprentice meowed. Thunderrose was always amazed at her skill at this position. She was patient and kind, with as much knowledge of the various plants and such as her mentor. Thunderrose nodded, mewing a good night as Eveningpaw turned and padded away. She could feel the hazy fog of sleep drifting lazily over her psyche and lay her head gingerly against the moss, not fighting its advance. Eventually, her eyes drifted shut as the drugged slumber overcame her.


	2. Changes

Thunderrose woke to the faint patter of raindrops outside. She stretched, and was pleased to find that the pain in her head was considerably less, even without medication. Her eyes opened slowly, blinking away the fog of sleep. To her surprise, it didn't lift. Confused, she blinked a few more times. Still her vision held a peculiar hazy quality. Slightly concerned, she called out for Junipersun. The elderly medicine cat trudged slowly from the recesses of the den. His eyes were cloudy from sleep, but anxiety flickered through them at her tone. She was startled to find that his shape was fuzzy.

"What is it, Thunderrose? Are you in pain?" he asked, fighting back a yawn. The she-cat shook her head, blinking a few more times in a fruitless effort to clear her vision.

"My sight… It's blurred," she mewed, her tone sharp with rising panic. Junipersun noticed her squinting to try to see him clearly, and a prickle of dismay touched his belly. She was blinking repeatedly, and each time her fear grew stronger. He padded closer to her, and she watched as his shape grew clearer, but still not as sharp as it once was.

"What's happening to me?" she whispered, dread filling her at what his answer would be. He placed his tail on her shoulder, and she jumped at the sudden contact. She hadn't seen his tail move.

"I think… I think, Thunderrose, that the tree branch may have done some lasting damage." She felt desperation fill her at his vague, worried response. Eyes wide, she stared at his blurred image.

"What do you mean, Junipersun? Tell me!" she added, her fear growing stronger when he didn't answer immediately. He sighed heavily, his exhalation ruffling her whiskers gently.

"You're going blind, Thunderrose," he replied flatly, eyes meeting hers. She froze, shock gripping her. She felt numb for a moment, not quite comprehending what he'd said. When it finally sank in, the cave echoed with her sudden wail of anguish. Her blue eyes, which had once been bright and full of life, were glazed over both with pain and her physical condition. He pressed his nose to her shoulder in a gesture of comfort, but she shook him off, fury suddenly seizing her.

"You told me I was going to be okay! You told me I was going to go back to being a warrior in a few days! How can I be a warrior when I can't see?" she shrieked, leaping to her paws. Eveningpaw padded sleepily from her nest, shocked awake by the screeching of the injured she-cat.

"What's going on out here?" she called, noticing the pained anger in Thunderrose's eyes. The fluffy apprentice was startled to see a film over the she-cat's blue eyes, and guessed the issue moments before the injured warrior rounded on her.

"What's wrong? What's wrong is that I can't see!" she snarled, lips peeled back to reveal sharp teeth. Eveningpaw flinched before crossing the floor to place one white paw against Thunderrose's heaving flank. The gray warrior crumpled into her nest and moaned, sorrow washing over her like the tides of the lake. When she lifted her head again, she was not surprised to see that Junipersun's sympathetic gaze had hardened into flint. Even though her vision was fading, she could tell that she had hurt him. She watched as he turned away from her, tail tip twitching.

"Medicine cats are not perfect, Thunderrose. We are cats, just like you. We are entitled to mistakes. Now, as I can see you are well enough to move about, I will tell Phantomstar that Tornadopaw's ceremony may be held this afternoon," he growled, his voice like ice. Thunderrose didn't say a word as he stalked from the den, frozen in her crouched position. Eveningpaw swept her tail down her spine before padding away, sadness pricking at her chest.

Thunderrose stayed there, crouched in her nest with her head bowed, until she heard the scuffing of paws approaching. She lifted her head slowly, no longer caring about the pain. She felt surprise poke faintly through the mist of her sadness as she recognized the scent of Phantomstar. His black shape advanced towards her, becoming clear enough that she could recognize his face and pale green eyes. She dipped her head slightly in greeting before returning her head to its original bowed state. Phantomstar laid his black, white-specked tail over her shoulders, but she did not look up at him.

"I know you're upset, Thunderrose. It's hard to know that you won't be able to hunt and fight as well as you once did." His deep mew wrapped around her self-pitying mind, shaking her from her daze. She looked up at him, and he seemed to be stunned by the depth of her pain.

"Don't kid yourself, Phantomstar. How can I be a warrior without my sight?" she asked heavily, her voice flat. She no longer had the strength to snap at anybody. He sighed, removing his tail.

"It won't be easy; that much is certain. But you're not deaf, are you? Your sense of smell is not gone, is it? There have been blind warriors in the past…" he trailed off when she sat up, her glare murderous.

"Name one, Phantomstar." When he did not reply, she nodded, eerily calm. "I thought so. The one blind member of this Clan was Jayfeather. He was a medicine cat, if you recall. Brightheart was not completely blind; she lost only one of her eyes. How can I be a warrior?" she asked poisonously. Phantomstar was quiet for a short bit, and she turned her face away from him.

"Jayfeather could still fight," he mewed softly. She scoffed under her breath, not looking at him. "You are strong, Thunderrose. If you can learn to fight and hunt without your vision, you will make history." With this remark, Thunderrose whipped her head back up to stare poisonously at him.

"I don't care about making history! I just want to be a normal warrior who can serve her Clan to the last breath. That's all I've ever wanted!" she spat bitterly, silently cursing StarClan for bringing this upon her. He exhaled heavily, and nudged her to her paws.

"At least come outside. Tornadopaw's warrior ceremony will be held as soon as you join us." Thunderrose followed him, stumbling slightly as she tried to adjust to walking with her blurred sight. She made her way, blinking, into the bright camp beyond the medicine cat den. The whole Clan was gathered beneath the Highledge, faces turned expectantly toward her. She stalked to the edge of the group, eyes fixed on the ground in front of her, and settled down a few tail lengths away from the cats. She could see their sympathy and pity and curled her lips back in disgust, watching as Phantomstar's shadowy form flitted up to where he belonged. There was no need to call the Clan; every cat was already there, though their attention was trained almost completely on Thunderrose. She flattened her ears slightly and glared balefully at Icelily, a white she-cat who sat nearby. Icelily shrank from her furious stare and the rest of the Clan gradually looked up at their leader. When he was satisfied that every cat was paying attention, Phantomstar began the ceremony. Tornadopaw, with his pelt freshly groomed, sat at the base of the Highledge, staring expectantly up at Phantomstar. Thunderrose squinted at them for a moment, before giving up on trying to see better.

"I, Phantomstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." Phantomstar looked down on Tornadopaw. "Tornadopaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Tornadopaw straightened, and Thunderrose could imagine the muscles shifting in his shoulders as he did so.

"I do," he mewed. His tone was different than she'd ever heard before. It was strong and confident, with no hint of fear. She thought with more than a small degree of bitterness that, once the adrenaline of this moment passed, he would return to his cowardly ways.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Tornadopaw, from this moment you will be known as Tornadodust. StarClan honors your courage and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." With that, Thunderrose watched the black mass lean down and she knew instinctively that he was resting his muzzle against the broad forehead of Tornadodust. The new warrior would now lick his leader's shoulder and, right on cue, the Clan let loose with a thunderous chant.

"Tornadodust! Tornadodust!" they cried jubilantly, pressing up around him to give him their congratulations. Thunderrose joined in half-heartedly, not moving from her spot. Eventually, Tornadodust broke through the throng of cats. His wide, happy amber eyes darkened when he saw the pain in her eyes. She could vaguely make out his face and nodded, getting to her paws.

"Congratulations, Tornadodust," she meowed bitterly, turning away. Ignoring his call, she trudged back to the medicine den. She wanted nothing more than to return to her nest and wait out the days until her vision failed her completely. She could feel the gazes of her Clanmates burning into her, but she ignored them as well as she pushed through the lichen into the medicine cat den. The cool shade of the rock soothed her slightly, as did the soft feel of sand beneath her paws as she crossed the floor to her nest. Her paws left long, scuffing pawmarks in the soft floor where she stepped, not having the energy to lift her legs. As she was nearing her nest, a pair of teeth clenched around her tail. Screeching in alarmed anger and pain, she whirled around with her claws unsheathed, snarling. Her eyes squinted as a familiar scent brushed her nose.

"What do you want, Orangeblossom?" she spat, fur bristling. The orange-pelted warrior didn't flinch; instead, she pressed her muzzle to her friend's cheek. Orangeblossom had been Thunderrose's best friend since kithood, and the pair had been inseparable. Thunderrose sighed heavily, feeling a faint twinge of guilt for snapping at her friend, but Orangeblossom didn't seem to pay it any mind.

"Thunderrose, what's gotten into you?" Orangeblossom asked concernedly, licking her friend's ear gently. The gray tortoiseshell turned away, feeling an acidic feeling of loss grip her as she wrestled with the knowledge that she was losing her sight.

"I'm going blind, Orangeblossom. Phantomstar thinks I can be a warrior… How am I supposed to be any help to ThunderClan without my sight?" she asked, her pain dripping from her words. Orangeblossom knew better than any cat how much her friend cared for ThunderClan. It was her single passion, and now she was facing that she may never wake up in the warrior's den to the sight of the lovely camp, to the taste of her prey's blood in her mouth, to the companionship of a border patrol.

"Thunderrose, you are the strongest cat I know. You are more devoted to this Clan than any cat who's ever lived, except maybe Firestar. You will be able to be a warrior; you'll just need to work out a new way to do things." Thunderrose lifted her head and stared at Orangeblossom with raw anguish in her eyes.

"And have to have a guide wherever I go? Have to rely on another cat to go hunting or to go on patrol so I don't make a fool of myself? Have to deal with the risk of killing another Clanmate in battle or being taken from behind?" Orangeblossom shook her head.

"Maybe at first, yes, but you know the territory. You'll learn the scents and sounds of where you are in time. You'll be able to hunt using your ears and your nose. The same with fighting. It will take time and a lot of hard work, but you can do it," Orangeblossom meowed gently. Thunderrose shrugged; it bit at her pride to know that, for a few moons at least, she wouldn't be able to find the dirtplace without help, let alone go hunting by herself.

"Just give me time, Orangeblossom. I need to rest, to come to terms with this. Okay?" Thunderrose mewed wearily. Orangeblossom nodded and licked her friend's cheeks swiftly before trotting from the den. Thunderrose settled into her nest with a drained sigh. Her eyes stared at nothing for a long while as her mind flew through all the possible ways she could possibly be helpful. She knew the stories of Jayfeather and how he'd made a journey through the mountains without the help of his eyes, but he had been born blind. He never knew a world with sight. Longtail had lost his eyesight before leaving the forest, but he'd retired to the elders' den. He'd been older than she, and Thunderrose had no wish to become an elder when she'd so much more to offer. Perhaps she could make it work… but she was too tired to think now. Her belly growled at her, but she ignored it, having no wish to eat. She lay her head on her paws and closed her eyes, drifting into a light doze.

Thunderrose was shaken awake at twilight by Junipersun. The elderly golden medicine cat dropped a vole at her paws, but she pushed it away in disgust. Junipersun pushed it back, his eyes firm.

"Eat, Thunderrose. You'll be no use to this Clan if you starve yourself," he growled. She huffed impatiently and took a bite of vole, glaring spitefully at her uncle. He settled back on his haunches and watched her until she'd finished the last bit. Thunderrose reached out and shoved the remains away, her eyes hot with defiance.

"You're regaining your spirit; that's good." His tone was conversational, as if her anger were a mundane tidbit of information like the weather. She hissed softly and lay her chin on her paws again, closing her eyes. When he didn't leave, she lifted her head- noting in the back of her mind that she was no longer in pain- and glared at him.

"You obviously have something important to say, so spit it out," she snapped brusquely, stretching her forepaws out. She couldn't see him, save a hazy mass, so she was unable to read his expression. When he spoke, however, he was not angry.

"I know that what you're dealing with is hard, Thunderrose," he began. The gray warrior leaped to her paws, pelt bristling. Her ears were flat against her head and her eyes narrowed into glittering angry slits. She could see him well enough to know he flinched from her anger, but that did not calm her.

"You have no idea what I am going through, Junipersun," she hissed furiously, her tone daring him to object. Thankfully, he did not. Instead, he moved closer to her, and she found herself growing irritated with the clicking of his joints. She stood frozen as he pressed his nose to her cheek.

"No, I don't. I can only tell that it's hard for you. But know this: everything every cat has told you today is true. You are strong, a fighter. Among the bravest, toughest, most loyal cats in the Clan. You will still be a great warrior, even after your sight has gone. It will take time, yes, but you can do it, Thunderrose. I believe in you. We all do; the whole of ThunderClan is behind you." She found herself pressing her face against his shoulder as a wave of gratitude quelled her anger.

"You really think I can make it?" she asked into his fur, voice muffled slightly. Junipersun looked upon her fondly, his eyes soft.

"Yes, I really do," he purred gently, licking her ear warmly. She lifted her head and looked at him with a fierce, determined fire in her blue eyes. His eyes were warm and proud as he saw her spirit returning.

"I cannot let my Clan down," she growled fiercly. Her passion was rekindling, and her mind was made up. She would push through this, and her heart swelled with delight as she realized that her entire Clan would support her as she recovered.

"Rest, Thunderrose. You will need your strength." She looked puzzled and asked the time of day. He rumbled in amusement and clicked his way across the den to flick away the lichen. Silverpelt streaked across the sky, the home of their ancestors, and she was startled to realize that she had slept away most of the day, and had not eaten. Her stomach grumbled loudly and Junipersun _mrrow_ed in laughter.

"I'll have Eveningpaw fetch you some dinner," he meowed good-naturedly, turning back to the entrance. Thunderrose nodded and settled back on her haunches in her nest. Her fur was matted and riddled with moss and she gazed at it for a moment in disgust. How had she let herself become so unkempt? She let out a groan of embarrassment as she realized that she must have looked like this when she attended the ceremony. With renewed energy, she began to lap at her tangled pelt, patiently grooming it into its original sleek shape.

Just as she was finishing, Eveningpaw dropped a mouse at her paws. Thunderrose licked a final clump of fur on her chest into place before murmuring a thanks and crouching to eat. Eveningpaw nodded and trudged off to bed.

_ It must be late…_ Thunderrose thought, amused at the apprentice's exhaustion. When she'd finished, she lay down and curled up in her nest, heeding Junipersun's advice to rest as much as she could. She found, unfortunately, that sleep was elusive, and got up to pad into the clearing. Tornadodust was sitting his vigil, as was customary. She remembered how cold she'd been to him that afternoon, and went to sit next to him. He glanced in her direction as she joined him, and Thunderrose blinked kindly at him. He dipped his head in greeting and turned his gaze back toward the tunnel. She felt her eyes begin to droop as the night passed and Tornadodust flicked his tail toward the medicine den, obviously indicating that she should return to her nest. She shook her head, not really wanting to sleep, but she knew she shouldn't stay there with him. It was his solitary, silent watch. Licking his ear, she stood and departed, squinting as she made her way through the dark camp to the medicine den. She sat in her nest, staring at the wall as her thoughts swept her away.


	3. Overwhelmed

Thunderrose woke, not remembering when she'd fallen asleep. A fresh thrush lay beside her nest, with Junipersun's scent around it. She realized with a start, and then a rush of grief, that she couldn't see anything. Her vision had gone completely black. She crouched to eat the thrush, scenting it out so she would not get a mouthful of sand instead of feathers. When she'd finished her meal, Thunderrose got up to see if she could walk. Stepping from her nest, she stumbled slightly. Determined to make it out of the medicine den, she waited until her balance returned before padding clumsily through the cave. She collided with a wall more than once, and was rather startled when the lichen brushed her face. She nosed herself through the curtain and into bright sunlight. At least, she assumed it was bright; the warmth of the rays was strong and steady on her pelt. She stretched, nearly falling over, and then padded slowly into the camp.

Suddenly, a cat's voice mewed in her ear. Thunderrose screeched in alarm, stumbled sideways, and fell into the dust. It was then that she recognized the scent of Orangeblossom and, huffing in indignation, pulled herself to her feet.

"For StarClan's sake, Orangeblossom, don't do that! How am I supposed to know when you're going to come flying out of nowhere?!" she cried, licking her ruffled fur. She could not see her friend's expression very well, but Orangeblossom's guilt was clear, even through the haze.

"Sorry, Thunderrose. I was just so excited to see you come out of there looking ready to face the world that I couldn't help myself," Orangeblossom meowed sheepishly. Thunderrose purred and tried to butt her friend on the shoulder, but misjudged the distance and ended up awkwardly pushing her face through the air. This surprised her and she stumbled forward into Orangeblossom, and both she-cats tumbled to the ground. Thunderrose pushed herself to her paws again, feeling her face grow hot with embarrassment. Orangeblossom was chuckling, sitting up more slowly.

"I'm going for a walk…" she mewed roughly, turning to walk away with her face still burning. She got no more than a few tail-lengths before her paw slid into a groove in the ground. If her vision had been up to par and she hadn't been so disoriented, the tiny divot would have caused no problem. Unfortunately, the dark veil over her eyes seemed to induce clumsiness, and Thunderrose stumbled gracelessly to the side. Without warning, Orangeblossom was at her side, purring as she helped her friend regain her balance.

"Or, maybe not…" Thunderrose sighed, frustrated beyond anything she'd ever experienced. She was helpless like this, in a seemingly perpetual state of blind inelegance. She couldn't walk two pawsteps without tripping over some sort of obstacle.

"You need a guide, Thunderrose. Otherwise, you're never going to leave your nest without causing yourself or some other cat harm." Orangeblossom's voice was friendly and gently teasing, but the orange she-cat's joking manner faded at Thunderrose's annoyed glare.

"Fine, then, Orangeblossom. Guide me." Her voice was sharp with irritation. Orangeblossom was quiet a moment, processing the fact that her proud friend was actually accepting her offer of help, and then gave a slight bounce. The sudden, unexpected movement startled Thunderrose and she shot into the air and whirled away, landing a fox-length away with a modicum more grace than she'd been displaying all morning.

"Well, your reflexes are still just as quick. That's good. Come on, then, Thunderrose; we'll go to the hollow. That way, you can take your walk and practicefighting without sight." Orangeblossom's enthusiasm at fighting practice filled Thunderrose with a feeling of foreboding. StarClan help her.

The walk to the training hollow proved more challenging than it sounded. The camp was wide open and relatively free of obstacles, aside from the ones she created herself. But out in the forest, where the trees grew close together in random patterns, it was much more difficult. Orangeblossom did her best to guide her, but Thunderrose still ran awkwardly into trees or stumbled over patches of undergrowth. By the time the pair made it to the hollow, Thunderrose felt as if she'd already been to fighting practice. She wanted nothing more than to go back to her nest in the medicine den and nurse her bruises and scratches, but Orangeblossom would have none of it.

"We came all the way out here so you could practice getting around. We're at the hollow now; we may as well work on your fighting." Orangeblossom nosed her down the ledge and into the mossy clearing. Thunderrose followed reluctantly, and the springy moss felt soft and soothing to her sore paws. Eventually, Orangeblossom must have been satisfied with their position, because she stopped nudging her friend along and moved away.

"Attack me." Orangeblossom's voice came from a distance away; the faraway quality startled Thunderrose for a moment.

"How in StarClan's name do you expect me to do that?" she called in reply, disoriented.

"Follow my voice!" Thunderrose huffed in exasperation. This was not the most effective way to teach a blind cat to fight. Knowing that her friend would not stop pestering her until she tried, the gray she-cat sank into a crouch. For the first time, she realized how much more powerful every other sense was without her sight. At first, she thought this might help her; she could smell and hear everything so much clearer than before. Unfortunately, as she attempted to locate her 'mentor', she found that her new clarity was very distracting. She could hear the slightest rustle of leaves, smell the tiniest whiff of the lake on the breeze. Sighing in frustration, she tried to block out all the extraneous information and focused on Orangeblossom's scent. This proved extremely difficult to do, but she managed to pick up a trace. Acting on impulse, Thunderrose flung herself at where she thought the scent had originated from, hoping she was at least close in her calculation. Unsurprisingly, she was nowhere close. Instead, she lurched awkwardly over the empty moss, hearing Orangeblossom's laughter as her friend attempted to recover. Eventually, the orange warrior decided to launch an attack. She threw herself into her scrabbling friend's side, and the two she-cats rolled together for a moment until Orangeblossom ended up on top. Thunderrose was winded and thoroughly defeated, despite her best efforts to push her friend off.

"That was okay, for a first try," Orangeblossom mewed, climbing off. Thunderrose lay on the moss for a moment, feeling very irritated with herself.

"We'll take a short break, because I can tell you need it, and then we'll try again." Thunderrose nodded the best she could from her position, and tried to regain her footing. Once she'd gotten her breath back, she rolled smoothly into a sitting position and gave her pelt a good licking. She could smell the scraps of moss clinging to her sleek fur and they irritated her. Just because she couldn't see didn't mean she couldn't look decent.

Out of absolutely nowhere, Orangeblossom let out a cry, which startled Thunderrose to no end. A second later, the orange she-cat barreled into her side, bowling a very confused Thunderrose off her paws. The gray she-cat screeched in shock and struggled to get her balance. She seemed to be doing that a lot recently. After a few seconds of floundering, Thunderrose attempted to locate her friend. Adrenaline rushed through her, and everything seemed to slow down. She inhaled deeply, partly to catch her breath, but mostly to scent Orangeblossom. She wasn't far away; the gray warrior could hear her scrambling to attack again. This time, she was ready; when Orangeblossom's thudding pawsteps grew closer, Thunderrose dug her claws into the spongy moss and braced herself for impact. When Orangeblossom hit her, she rolled against it, pushing the orange she-cat off balance. Stunned that she'd actually managed to gain the advantage, Thunderrose located her floundering friend and sprang at her. Unfortunately, she misjudged the distance and landed beyond her target, giving Orangeblossom the chance to counter, which she seized immediately. The orange warrior leaped onto Thunderrose, pushing her over. They scuffled in the moss for a moment before Orangeblossom managed to pin her friend to the ground with a paw planted on her throat. Both she-cats gasped for air, and Orangeblossom climbed off.

"That was much better!" she purred. Thunderrose struggled to her paws, rasping her tongue across her chest fur a few times. The adrenaline rush was fading from her system and now she just felt battered and sore.

"We ought to get back to camp; I'm needed for the sunhigh patrol." Thunderrose felt a prickle of envy, wondering when she would be able to patrol again. Orangeblossom moved to help her from the hollow, but Thunderrose insisted on trying to be independent. She shuffled her paws forward until they touched the edge of the hollow. Knowing from memory that the ledge was about half a tail-length above the hollow floor, she reached up and felt around for the top. Finding it, she dug her claws into the leaflitter and hauled herself up. It might not have been particularly graceful, but she managed, and that was a start. She felt Orangeblossom nudge her until she was facing the right direction. Using her heightened senses, she padded forward slowly, feeling her way gingerly over the floor. Though the amount of sensory information was overwhelming, she managed to scent trees and other potentially painful obstacles before she hit them. When they finally reached the camp, Thunderrose was able to navigate fairly accurately, if a bit slowly. Orangeblossom helped her find the thorn tunnel and helped her through without too many scratches. The sun was hot on her back and Thunderrose assumed that it was close to sunhigh.

"Orangeblossom!" Thunderrose was slightly startled by the call, but she easily recognized the voice. Phantomstar was apparently part of the patrol. Orangeblossom flicked her friend on the shoulder to get her attention.

"I have to go. Try not to hurt yourself, okay?" Thunderrose felt a prickle of irritation. Her friend was speaking as if she were a naughty apprentice.

"Yeah," she replied roughly, her face pointed downward. Orangeblossom licked her ear and trotted away. Thunderrose heard the rustling as the patrol left the camp and immediately felt lost. She could hear the murmuring of her Clanmates' voices, but she didn't know exactly where they were. Besides, the fallen tree was still somewhere in the clearing, and she didn't know where it was. If she wandered around, she ran the risk of injuring herself. Discouraged, she simply sat where she was, closed her eyes- not that it really made a difference- and tried to sort through the sounds and scents that were assaulting her.

"You okay?" Tornadodust's deep mew sounded in her ear. Thunderrose's eyes flew open and she jumped to her paws, whirling around and stumbling to the side. Tornadodust laughed heartily as she fell on her side in the dust.

"Great StarClan… Why do cats insist on sneaking up on me?" she huffed ill-temperedly, struggling to her paws and licking her ruffled fur.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to frighten you…" She felt her exasperation climb to a new level. He was still a coward. "You just looked… tired, or something. I don't know. I just wanted to make sure everything was alright." Thunderrose glared at him- well, where she thought he was, anyway.

"I can't see anything, Tornadodust! I can't walk two steps without tripping over something or running into something. I can't fight without falling over, I can't take a walk without getting a mouthful of leaves or a pelt full of scratches. I can't even socialize with my Clanmates because I can't tell where they are and there's a tree in the middle of camp! And, to top it all off, cats keep appearing out of nowhere and scaring me half to death!" The words spilled from her mouth before she could stop them. Tornadodust didn't say a word for a long moment.

"I could take you around camp, if you'd like. You could get acquainted to where things are without being able to see them." Thunderrose sighed. She didn't like having a guide, but it seemed like it was necessary. She shook out her fur and looked toward him again.

"Thanks, Tornadodust…" she mewed quietly. He purred and nosed her cheek.

"Anything for the cat who saved my life." His tone was friendly, but she could detect admiration and adoration beneath the seemingly harmless words. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. She didn't need to see him to know that he was looking at her like an idol.

_ Some idol I make, anyway… Blind, clumsy, and helpless, _she thought bitterly. She felt his tail rest on her shoulder to lead her away. She padded after him, taking in the changing waves of scents and sounds that rolled over her.

"Where's the tree?" she asked, slightly worried. He chuckled and flicked her ear with his tail tip.

"On the other side of camp. You were over by the entrance; the tree is over by the Highledge." Thunderrose pictured the cliff where the announcements were made, and remembered that she'd seen the tree at Tornadodust's warrior ceremony.

"Where are we now?" She was still having trouble sorting through the scents that flooded her nose. Without warning, she walked right into him, not realizing that he'd stopped. She reeled backwards, hissing in surprise, and sat back heavily on her haunches. Tornadodust laughed again, but apparently thought better of it when she glared furiously in his general direction.

"Sorry… forgot to warn you. Anyway, we're right outside the nursery." Thunderrose inhaled deeply. Suddenly, she could pick up on the scents of milk and the sounds of kits squealing.

"Did Riverwind have her kits?" she asked, remembering that the queen had been very large when the accident had happened.

"Yes, about a day after the tree fell. They're all healthy and strong, like their father," the young warrior replied. There was a note of grief in his deep voice, and Thunderrose shared the same sadness. Gorgepelt, Riverwind's former mate, had been killed by a fox just a moon after Riverwind had found out that she was carrying his kits. The whole Clan still mourned for the funny, kind tomcat; he'd died much too early.

"That's wonderful!" Thunderrose purred. New kits were always a blessing to the Clans. "I'd ask if I could visit, but I should probably become steadier on my paws first." Tornadodust laughed and butted her shoulder.

"The apprentices' den is this way, right?" she asked, padding off in the direction she thought was correct.

"Yes, but watch out!" Tornadodust called. Not realizing what he meant, she kept moving forward until she walked face first into the side of the apprentices' den. Luckily, it was made of ferns.

"Mousedung!" she growled, scrambling backwards until she was relatively free of the clinging ferns.

"I told you to watch out." Tornadodust brushed past her and fixed the segment of the den she'd fairly crushed. Thunderrose licked her chest fur flat and huffed in frustration.

This was definitely not going as well as she'd hoped.


End file.
